


Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

by ken_ichijouji (dommific)



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, M/M, Marriage, POV Male Character, Phone Calls & Telephones, Post-Star Trek: Into Darkness, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Valentine's Day Fluff, Written pre-star trek beyond, like a sugary cereal this fic is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-10
Updated: 2016-04-10
Packaged: 2018-06-01 11:51:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6517540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dommific/pseuds/ken_ichijouji
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim's been away for a while and it's Valentine's Day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

**Author's Note:**

> I originally wrote this as the beginning to my fic where Jim gets turned into a woman, but I scrapped that intro in favor of the actual fic. However, I still think this part is pretty cute/decent. So here it is.
> 
> Mentions Christine/Carol, Sulu/Gaila, and Scotty/Chekov. Also mention of phone sex but it doesn't actually happen.
> 
> Look Ma I'm canon compliant for once.

Leonard got off his double shift with only a few minutes to spare before the comm came through in his quarters. He whipped off the blue tunic, kicked off the boots, and grabbed his PADD to curl up in bed. He propped the PADD up just in the nick of time.

_Incoming vidlink from Kirk, James T. Accept?_

He pushed the green button, and Jim appeared. He wore his gray and gold suit for away missions, and there was a tired smile on his face. The backdrop behind him was one of the special tents Starfleet used for planetside missions. “Hey, lover,” Jim said.

“Hey,” Leonard said, his voice rumbling and warm. “How’s tricks?”

Jim laughed. “Hanging in there. You?”

“Tired,” Leonard admitted, leaning forward a bit so Jim could see his face better.

“Yeah?” Jim said. “What’s up?”

“Everyone wanted the night off,” Leonard said. “Started with Christine moaning about how Valentine’s day was her and Carol’s second date and snowballed to everyone bellyaching. So me and ten other people worked doubles today so the rest of medical could have off to be with their SOs.”

Jim’s eyes softened. “If I’d been there...”

“I’d rather work if you can’t be,” Leonard said. “Don’t beat yourself up. Besides, we’re off the day you return. We’ll have our own private Valentine’s day.”

Jim bit his bottom lip with a smile. He reached out, adjusting his PADD so the camera zoomed in closer on him. “Yeah, we will. Just us in our quarters.”

Leonard’s eyes caught the titanium band on Jim’s left ring finger. As if out of reflex, he toyed with the matching one on his own hand. “Yeah. I may not let you out of bed, darlin’.”

Jim shifted, lying on his stomach with his head propped on his arms. More freckles were visible on his skin, ostensibly from his time in the sun cataloguing all of the planetoids. They were on the last two, so he and his team would be back the following week. Even in the dim lighting, Leonard could see the flecks of navy in Jim’s eyes.

“I’m not going to object,” Jim said with a sigh. “Even if we just end up sleeping the day away. It sounds so perfect, and...well...I’m....”

“I miss you too,” Leonard said. “I’ve been sleeping like shit every night. This bed feels awful big without you.”

Jim sighed. “I know. I’m having the hardest time sleeping, not just because I’m on a cot. It’s not the same without your arm around my waist and your breath in my ear. Your weight on my back.”

Leonard shook his head. “Is this before or after you complain about how hot my body temperature is?”

Chuckling, Jim closed his eyes. “You do usually feel like a furnace, but I’m only teasing. I like how hot you get. And I really like how hot you _are_.”

Leonard cleared his throat, feeling more energized. “How alone are you?”

“So alone,” Jim said. “The other tents are far enough I don’t have to be quiet.”

His eyebrow rising, Leonard gave Jim a pointed look. “You said that the last time, and Sulu read me the riot act the next day.”

“He was just jealous because he wasn’t getting any,” Jim said with a shrug. “Now that he and Gaila are together, he’s fine. And he’s not even here. I’m with geologists, remember?”

“True,” Leonard said. “I have to admit, I’m not a fan of this.”

“Of what?” Jim’s head tilted to the side on his arm, giving him a boyish look.

“Phone sex,” Leonard said. “Even with you. I always feel somehow more lonely after than I was before it.”

Jim’s eyes held little besides sympathy and love. “I know. It’s not a suitable replacement.”

“No,” Leonard said. “But I don’t hate it, either.”

Biting his lip again, Jim adjusted the PADD and sat back up. “Do you really miss me?”

“Always,” Leonard said. “Except when we’re in the same room.”

Jim smiled as he looked down at his hands. He spun his wedding band a couple of times. “That why you always come to the bridge for no discernable reason?”

Leonard rolled his eyes. “Because you don’t appear in medical with the thinnest excuses ever concocted.”

Laughing, Jim’s eyes met his again. “What’s happening on the ship? Really happening, not the boring shit Spock thinks count as reports.”

“It is important for you to know what’s happening while you’re off ship,” Leonard said. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Jim said as he ran a hand through his hair. “It’s not the good stuff, though.”

“True,” Leonard said. “Okay. Well, Scotty and Chekov had a big argument that I got to play referee for.”

Jim’s expression became interested. “What about? They never argue.”

Leonard shrugged. “Chekov asked Scotty out for today. Scotty panicked and was a dick to him.”

Jim sat back, blinking. “You know, I always did wonder why they hung out so much. It seemed weird for Chekov to be so eager to shadow Scotty when that’s completely not his department.”

“Well,” Leonard continued. “Chekov asked, Scotty panicked, was shitty, got blasted, and blurted out that he wants Chekov too. He’s just twice his age and thinks he’s hideous or something. Keenser was there, trying to help him retain some of his dignity, but we pointed out Chekov wouldn’t be on the five year mission if he hadn’t proven to be mature enough to handle his shit.”

“True,” Jim said. “Does this story have a happy ending?”

“It has a wait and see ending,” Leonard said. “He agreed to feel things out without making any promises.”

“I’ll take it,” Jim said with a grin. “What else is up on ‘As the Enterprise Turns’?”

Leonard thought for a minute. “Not much to my ears. Everyone that’s coupled up already is happy and nauseating because of the day. The single crew members are all right, though some are fairly bitter.”

“As usual,” Jim said. “I seem to recall from that first Valentine’s at the Academy, a certain someone kept complaining about it being too ‘commercial’ and ‘insincere’.”

“Meanwhile, a certain someone else triple-booked himself, begging me to help him out of it,” Leonard said with a snort.

Jim laughed. “Yeah. The second one was much better. I got to wine and dine someone really special that night.”

Leonard’s cheeks flushed at the memory. Jim had taken him to French Laundry, sparing no expense. Then they walked the city together through all of the lights, pausing to kiss here or there. They had been together for a few weeks, but that night clinched his being in love. “Yeah, whatever happened to that dickhead?”

“Don’t know,” Jim said, his eyes sparkling with a teasing light. “I ditched him for someone hotter and sexier.”

“His loss,” Leonard said as his grin overtook his face. He reached out, running his hand over the image of Jim’s face. Jim’s eyes sparkled even more, his smile turning a bit shy. “All this time.”

“What about it?” Jim asked.

“You still make my heart skip,” Leonard said. “You always will, too.”

His head resting on his hand, Jim’s eyes filled with love. He smiled, the one he reserved for just Leonard when no one else could see. It was soft, full of light, and as sweet as pecan pie. Leonard touched the PADD again where Jim’s cheek was. Jim reached out himself, running his hand over Leonard’s through the screen. 

“How many more days?” Leonard said.

“Six,” Jim sighed. “Five if I order them to rush.”

“Do the job right, not fast,” Leonard said. “The time will pass soon enough.”

Jim nodded. Their hands stayed touching through the screens. 

“How late is it there?”

His smile faltering, Jim sighed. “Late enough I should go so we can pack up camp in the AM.”

Leonard nodded, his own smile slipping off his face. “Yeah. I worked sixteen hours with minimal breaks today so I should go too.”

“Same time tomorrow?” Jim said.

“Without a doubt,” Leonard replied. He kissed two of his fingers, pressing them to the screen. The happiness filled Jim’s face again as a sunny grin formed.

“Sappy jerk,” Jim said with a laugh.

“Go fuck yourself,” Leonard said. “I love you, darlin’.”

“I love you too, Bones,” Jim said with a wink. “Night night.”

“G’night.” Leonard disconnected the call before placing the PADD on his nightstand. He then stripped down to his boxers and got under the covers, arms encircling Jim’s pillows as he had done for the last three weeks.

It would be all over soon; he’d have his husband back.


End file.
